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RW: Initially I was working with the flora and fauna pairs from "Only Revolutions," like licorice and lilacs and field crickets. But then creatures common to German folklore (like the Rotkelchen/European Robin) found their way into the work as well. In general I'm drawn to things that are beautiful, but not in a standard way. There is so much amazing variety in the natural world to be inspired by. 
RW: Becoming a US Citizen after so many years really made me think about my roots, and what I am leaving behind and gaining. Growing up I always felt like I was from in-between both worlds, not fully of one or the other, but sort of an outsider in both. I'll never forget the part of me that grew up in the wild Bavarian woods, but I'm also a very different person now for having left. Some of that definitely influenced the feeling of these works.
RW: My working process is pretty complex - sometimes I feel like a mad scientist when I'm working. Initially I think of the colors/mood and general theme I want the final image to have. Then I stage a photoshoot with my model and settle on an image with the right feeling and composition. I do a watercolor painting of the photo reference, focusing more on establishing the general color palette and creating interesting paint moments (salt, drips, etc.) Next I scan the watercolor, transfer it to rice paper, mount that to panel. Then I design the laser cut frame to match the image and cut the panel. Finally come the oil glazes, where I polish up the details, blend the skintones, and pull everything together. Its pretty involved, but gives me the freedom to use my favorite aspects of each medium. Watercolor is my first love, and I'm so comfortable with it that I can be really playful and free while painting. But there is a finish to oil-paint that I adore, and the colors are rich and vibrant. 
RW: My models are definitely muses to me - each of them brings something unexpected to the process, which is really great. There's not really a selection process, many of them are my friends, or I find them through other artists and photographers. I like painting really high-fashion looking delicate features, but distinct looking faces are always more interesting to me than just cookie cutter pretty ones. Its really important that they have an intense energy, and can get on my strange ethereal wavelength. Several of the pieces in this show feature Meredith Adelaide, who is a fantastic model as well as a great singer (currently playing with the Alialujah Choir). I think most of my models have another creative passion like that, which gives them something soulful to draw from while posing. My sister & constant muse Roxanna Walitzki is an incredible opera singer as well as having a very distinct style. But I'm not interested in straight portraiture, I like to transform my subjects into otherworldy figures.
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In this interview, Alexandra Manukyan reflects on the dualities that define her practice: the weight of human grief carried through the female body, the interplay between concealment and truth, and the evolving tension between timeless tradition and our rapidly shifting digital age. What emerges is a portrait of an artist who paints not just figures, but the human condition itself—layered, vulnerable, and endlessly resilient.
